Sound producing attachment for roller skates



Aug. 2, 1938. c. E. KARST 2,125,504

SOUND PRODUCING ATTACHMENT FOR ROLLER SKATES Filed Sept. 16, 1936 \JVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOUND PRODUCING ATTACHMENT FOR ROLLER SKATES Application September 16, 1936, Serial No. 101,120

'7 Claims.

vide the combination of a roller skate and a sim- 7 ple, sturdy, sound producing apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide n an alarm mechanism embodied in a roller skate of the conventional. type,,and controlled inoperation by the skater, through foot movement, during movement of the skate.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novelty apparatus which is universal in respect to attachment'to roller skates of the conventional variety, by mechanical adjustments and operations, simple enough to be understood and performed readily by children.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and in the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a skate equipped according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view similar to Figure 1, but showing the skate in the position for producing sound.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the skate shown in Figure 1..

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4- of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is .a perspective view showing the sound producing attachment of the present invention.

Briefly stated; the present invention. comprises the combination with a roller skate, of sound producingapparatus having a ground wheel normany out of the range of the tread or ground level of the roller skate, but adapted to be actuated by friction contact with the ground during canted-movement of the skate. Otherwise stated, the invention comprehends a roller skate having a sound or noise producing equipment adapted to be-operated through a ground. wheel positioned for actuation b-y canting. of the skate from normal tread position.

During the period of actuation of the ground 59 wheel the sound apparatus is driven or operated frictionally either to sound alarm, to signal or to satisfy the natural tendency of children to enjoy the noise or sound. The type of sound produced by the device, its ,tone quality and its volume are '55 determined initially by the type of instrumentality selected, e g. bell, siren, or similar means. The volume of sound thereafter produced by the instrumentality is controlled largely by the speed of the skater.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodi- 5 ment of the invention in which a bell is utilized as a primary sounding instrument. This bell is struck during movement of a rotary striker operated by and during actuation of a ground wheel journalled in a stationary tail or bracket piece, 0 with its tread out of ground contact, but movable into ground contact through alteration of the position of the skate from normal position.

Referringto the drawing more particularly, the skate is indicated generally at I. This skate, which may be of the usual design and construction, comprises a foot plate 2, from which journal brackets .3 extending downwardly to carry axles 44 on which roller wheels 5 rotatively are 2 mounted. 0

Theaxles of the skates preferably are housed within sleeves 6 engaging the journal brackets 3, and are provided with shoulders I in the conventional manner of construction. One of these axle shoulders 1 preferably is used as the abutment 25 for mounting the sound producing equipment. The rest of the elements of the skate proper follow the usual lines of construction, and need not be described in detail for this reason.

One form of sound producing apparatus con- 30 structed in accordance With the present invention for universal attachment to any ofthe types of roller skates available at present is indicated generally at 8. The combination of the skate with this apparatus preferably is as follows: 35

A tail piece or bracket plate 9 is provided with a bore ID at one extremity for engagement over an axle 4 of the skate proper, intermediate the shoulder l and the wheel 5, of the axle on which the bracket is to be mounted. The bracket plate is disposed over the axle was to abut the sleeve shoulder I. The bracket plate at the locality adjacent the bore in preferably is of reduced dimensions, to clear the extremities of the journal bracket 3. 45

A. plurality of clinch lugs or teats H are disposed concentrically around the bore 10 preferably in slightly spaced relation. These teats are adapted to bite into the annulus at the shoulder I when the tail piece engages the axle, to provide positive locking of the tail piece in the intended position, as the nut I2, (which conventionally is used to hold the wheel -5 in position on the axle) is tightened.

These teats H preferably are positioned to provide biting surfaces extending conically toward the aperture 59, first to facilitate centering of the tail piece over the axle, and onto the annulus of the shoulder, and secondly, to facilitate positive locking of the tail piece to sleeves or shoulders of different diameters. Thus, the series of conical teats shown in Figure 5, which concentrically surround the aperture lfi, in combination with corresponding indentures which these teats form in the shoulder annulus during tightening of the nut 12, provide a mounting which is positive, univer sal and self-centering in respect to sleeves of counter-turned shoulder annuli of varying diameter. It is obvious that this mounting of the bracket plate to a conventional skate is simple to perform, and requires the use of no more tools than are required to remove and replace the wheels of the skates themselves. Onthe other hand, however, other suitable means for attaching the sound equipment to the skate proper may be substituted for the means disclosed. Thus the sound equipment may extend fore or aft the skate in position suited to actuation of the apparatus by canting movement of the skate from normal tread position.

The tail piece 9 preferably is stiffened with a marginal flange l3, and a bell I4 is mounted within this flange in a position spaced from the Y mounting bore ill for clearance purposes. The bell threadedly is carried on a stud i5 extending rigidly from the tail piece 9. The-tail piece 9 is mounted on the skate so that the bottom portion of the marginal flange l3 clears the ground during normal skating movement.

A bracket clip It extends from the tail piece 9 in spaced relation on the side of the tail piece opposite the bell, to carry a stud or jack shaft H on which a ground wheel l8 rotatively is mounted. The ground wheel, which preferably is rubber tired, as at lea, is journalled at the tail piece with its tread out of ground contact, but adapted to be grounded for traverse and actuation by alteration of the position of the skate, in the manner shown in Figure 2.

The shaft ll over which the ground wheel I8 is mounted preferably is carried in slots l9l9 in the clip support it and in the tail piece 9 in corresponding locations. A stub shaft 28, driving the sound equipment indicated generally at 2!, is journalled for rotation in the bracket clip It and in the tail piece 9 for frictional engagement thereof by the ground wheel during its period of movement. When the skate is canted, the shaft ll moves to the upper limiting extremity of slots l9! 9 to limit canting movement of the skate.

Thus, in the arrangement which is shown, the ground wheel is brought into frictional contact with the tread of the skate Whenthe forward por tion of the skate is tilted upwardly by foot movement of the skater. During this tilting movement the ground wheel first comes into contact with the tread, then the play in the slots in which the shaft H is disposed is taken up, and the ground wheel then frictionally drives the stub shaft 2B actuating the sound producer 2|.

It is preferable to position the slots in the bracket clip and tail piece angularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support clip it in which latter the stub shaft is disposed. This angular position through which the axle If is movedcauses the ground Wheel 58 bindingly to engage the stub shaft 28 rather than at right angles. This arrangement reducesthe amount .of slippage of the stub shaft in respect to the ground wheel and provides a much more positive friction lug 26 extending inwardly from the bell Hi.

When the skate of the present invention is in the normal tread position the ground wheel l8 clears the tread and the sounding device is inoperative. At thewill of the skater the toe is lifted by rocking movement on the back wheel of the skate for actuation of theground wheel, and

soundis produced as long as the skate remains in this position. It should be understood, of course,

that the sound equipment may be mounted at the front of the skate rather than at the rear in which instance, the actuation of the device is controlled by forward rather than rearward canting motion. 7

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination, with a roller skate, of a bracket plate fixedto the skate, a ground wheel journalled on the bracket plate with its tread out of ground contact and adapted to be grounded upon canting of the skate, and a sound producing apparatus mounted on said bracket and having a shaft frictionally contacting the tread of the ground wheel for actuation thereby.

2. The combination, with a roller skate, of a bracket plate fixed to an axle of the skate, a ground wheel journalled on the bracket plate with its tread out'of ground contact but adapted to be grounded upon canting of the skate, and a sound producing apparatus mounted on said bracket plate and having a shaft frictionally contacting the tread of the ground wheel for actuation thereby.

3. A soundproducing attachment mounted on a roller skate having an axle counterturned to provide a shoulder comprising, a bracket plate having a bore, a plurality of teats spaced concentrically around said bore to provide locked engagement of said plate with said axle of said roller skate, a ground wheel mounted for rotation on said bracket plate with its tread extending beyond the margin of the same, and a sound producing instrumentality carried by said bracket plate and having a driving shaftfrictionally engaging the tread of said ground wheel.

4. A sound producing attachment mounted on a roller skate having an axle counterturned to provide a shoulder comprising, a bracket plate having a bore, a plurality of teats spaced concentrically around said bore. to provide locked engagement of said plate with said axle of said roller skate, a ground wheel mounted for rotation on said bracketplate with its tread extending beyond the margin of the same, and a sound producing instrumentality mounted on said bracket plate opposite said ground wheel and having a driving'shaft, journalled in said bracket plate, frictionally engaging the tread'of said ground wheel. I

5. A sound producing device for attachment to a roller skate for actuation by canting of said skate from normal tread position, said device comprising a bracket plate having a bore for engagement with an axle of said skate, and having a stiffening flange, a groundwheel mounted for rotation on said bracket plate with its tread extending beyond said flange for driving, and a sound producing instrumentality, mounted within said flange, and having a driving shaft frictionally engaging said ground wheel.

6. A sound producing attachment for a roller skate comprising, a bracket plate having a bore for engagement with an axle of said roller skate, a clip support extending from said bracket plate in spaced relation therewith, a shaft carried in said plate and clip support, a ground wheel journalled on said shaft, and a sound producing instrumentality carried by said bracket plate and having a driving shaft frictionally engaging the tread of said ground wheel.

'7. The combination, with a roller skate havin an axle counterturned to provide an abutment shoulder, of a bracket plate having a bore for engagement with said axle of said skate, a plurality of teats spaced concentrically around said bore, and indented in said shoulder, a ground wheel journalled on said bracket plate and sound producing apparatus having a shaft frictionally engaging the tread of said ground wheel, the sound producing apparatus carried by said bracket plate.

CLARENCE E. KARST. 

